Meaning
Earlier than something; in front of something in order.
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Word origin
From Old English beforan, made of be meaning by and foran meaning in front, so 'in front of' or 'earlier than'.
- Origin
- Old English
- Root
- beforan
Examples
.
.
She arrived earlier than me.
B C.
Where this fits
Used in
Stories
(13)At the Doctor
3 min read · Core 1000
The First Day at Work
3 min read · Core 1000
The Surprise Party
3 min read · Core 1000
One Sheep Short
4 min read · Core 5000
The Passenger
4 min read · Core 5000
The First Letter
5 min read · Core 5000
The Midnight Piano
5 min read · Core 5000
The Night Route
5 min read · Core 5000
The Photograph
5 min read · Core 5000
The Suggestion Box
5 min read · Core 5000
The Swimming Lesson
5 min read · Core 5000
Two Tickets to Paris
5 min read · Core 5000
The Last Light
8 min read · Core 5000
Grammar articles
(61)English adjective order: opinion, size, age, shape, colour
Adverb position in English: before or after the verb?
Articles in English: a, an, the and the zero article
As vs like in English: the difference, with examples
Asking for directions in English: turn left, go straight on
Both, either and neither in English: rules and examples
Have something done and get something done in English
Clothes in English: trousers, a shirt and a pair of shoes
Comparatives and superlatives in English: rules and chart
Compound nouns in English: is car park one word or two?
Conditional sentences in English: zero, first, second, third
Countable and uncountable nouns in English: rules and list
Days, months and seasons in English: on Monday, in May
This, that, these and those in English: chart and examples
Dependent prepositions in English: good at, listen to, depend on
Do and does in English: questions and negatives
Dummy subjects in English: it's raining and there is
Ellipsis and substitution in English: I think so, so do I
Emphasis in English: emphatic do, my own and the very
English Filler Words: um, well, so, like, you know
For, since, already, yet and still in English, with examples
Future continuous and future perfect in English: examples
Future in the past in English: was going to, would, about to
Future tense in English: will vs going to, with examples
Gerund and infinitive in English: verb lists and rules
English Grammar Test: 30 Questions with Answers (A2-B2)
English greetings and survival phrases for beginners
Hedging and vague language in English: sort of, a bit, -ish
The imperative in English: sit down, don't touch, let's go
Indirect Questions in English: Word Order and Examples
English Question Words and Interrogative Pronouns
Inversion and subject-verb-object word order in English
Linking Words in English: although, despite, however
Modal verbs in English: rules, examples and how to use them
Must, have to and should in English: rules and examples
Ordinal numbers in English: first, second, third (chart)
Participle clauses in English: -ing, -ed and having done
Past continuous in English: was/were + -ing, with examples
Past perfect in English: had + past participle, examples
Past simple in English: rules, -ed spelling and examples
Phrasal-prepositional verbs in English: 16 with examples
100 Common Phrasal Verbs in English, with Examples
English phrasal verbs exercises with answers: 80 questions
Phrasal verbs with come in English: 13 meanings, examples
Phrasal verbs with go in English: 14 meanings, examples
Plurals in English: one cat, two cats (rules and chart)
My, your, his, her: possessives in English (chart)
Prepositions in English: in, on, at and more, with examples
Present perfect in English: rules, for and since, examples
Present simple in English: rules, -s ending and examples
Relative clauses in English: defining and non-defining
Reported speech in English: backshift table and examples
Reporting verbs in English: a list of patterns and examples
English Slang and Informal Words: What Real People Say
So, such, too and enough in English: rules and examples
The 12 English tenses: one chart with forms and examples
Time clauses in English: when, while, until, as soon as
To be in English: am, is and are (chart and examples)
Verb patterns with objects in English: want, make, let, see
Prefixes in English: un-, in-, im-, ir-, dis-, mis- rules
How to say years in English: 1984, 2005, 2025
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before: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the English word "before" (Earlier than something; in front of something in order.): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
This word is taught in chapter 2, lesson 7: before, maybe, must and 7 more words.